We had been to an interesting exhibition in 20:21 Art Grallery in Scunthorpe and were heading to the Ropery Hall in Barton for a folk concert so decided to fill the time in between at my old haunt of Far Ings National Nature Reserve to see if the starlings were still murmurating. I had been meaning to go for some time, but thought that I had left it too late for this year. It was mild but dull with threatening rain but on the horizon looked as though it might be a good sunset if the starlings did appear. It was good to be back and once settled in the hide felt like returning home. There were plenty of birds about (27 species all told) so a lot to watch while I waited. At one point a superb female marsh harrier drifted in and eventually settled down in the reeds where they had nested before. I was pleased to hear a cetti's strident song a couple of times and also a couple of booming bitterns.
I was just about to call it a day at 5.45 and return to Heather in the car not wanting to get locked in when I noticed a few starlings begin to gather and preform their mesmerising pre roost ritual of murmuration. The patterns they were making were fabulous and I managed both video on my phone and still shots on the camera. Eventually I had to drag muself away and so pleased I did as once on the way back to the car they were displaying overhead and pooping on the car to boot. Sharing the experience with reserve Simon Wellock, we also heard a fourth boomer. What an amazing hour or so.
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